Flexible Foam

The BPF Flexible Foam Group represents the interests of the UK manufacturers and converters of polyurethane flexible foam for a large number of applications; the major ones of which are upholstered furniture, mattresses, automotive and packaging.

In 1984 the UK polyurethane manufacturers recognised the need to carry out research on behalf of the industry as a whole in order to promote and safeguard the flexible foam industry. In order to do this they formed Flexible Foam Research Limited, a registered company.

Benefits of Membership

• Technical
• Technical Working Group
• Converters Section

The Committee

Committees meet four times per year (Converters – once per year) and are actively involved in the following:

• Monitoring existing and proposed future Health, Safety and Environmental Regulations arising at National and European Levels as they apply to the Polyurethane flexible foam industry, and to put into place the necessary actions to ensure that the requirements of such legislation are met.
• Identification of new research projects to promote and protect the long term interests of the UK Polyurethane Flexible Foam Industry.
• Ensuring that there is UK representation and participation on the Board and Technical Committees of EUROPUR (European Association of Polyurethane Flexible Foam Block Manufacturers) to ensure that the interests of the UK flexible foam industry are fully represented.
• Participation in the preparation of new, and the review of existing, foam standards at a National, European and World level so as to ensure that the views of the UK industry are fully presented.
• Responding to environmental issues arising at National and European Levels.

Europur

The BPF Foam Group has over the last five years been the lead organisation on a EUROPUR research project to examine the volatile organic compounds arising from flexible polyurethane foam mattresses. A quantitative risk assessment was carried out on each of the volatiles and no evidence of any human health risk was identified from the “worst case” exposure model employed, the margins of safety being very considerable.  The results of the research work have been published in the peer- reviewed journal "Cellular Polymers Vol. 22, No. 4, 2003".

These results together with the Sleep Products Safety Councils SPSC- "Versar" Report formed the basis for the EUROPUR brochure on the "Health Assessments of Volatiles from Flexible Polyurethane Foam". This is an example of BPF’s commitment to provide safe consumer products.
        

Click on the links for the Terms of Reference and Objectives for the Council, Policy & Finance and Converters’ Section Committees.

From time to time there is a need to make a UK position statement on various issues as they arise. In this connection there are on the website position statements on the following, together with a list of useful references:

• Cot Mattresses and Viscoelastic Foam
• Crumb Foam Guidance Note    
• OSPAR
• Flexible Polyerethane Foams Safe Industrial Storage and Use
• Flexible Polyerethane Foam A UK Users Guide
• Useful References
• Index of BPF FFR Documents